Virginia Tech football head coach Brent Pry is entering his second season of leading the Hokies on the gridiron, having posted a 3-8 record in the 2022 campaign. Pry joined Adam Epstein to discuss the latest with the Hokies' offseason and, in particular, three areas he wants to focus on improving the most for 2023.
"We have to run the football," he said. "As a defensive-minded guy, I know the value in that -- I know how it can really impact the game, and we weren't able to do that effectively last year, so that's been a big emphasis this offseason. And then, defensively, we got to win more one-on-one battles, not [just] in the run game, but especially [in] the throw game. When you get a chance and you're matched up one-on-one, to get to the quarterback, to get back in the backfield, you got to win more of those. You got to win enough of them that you make those minus-yardage plays, and we just didn't do that, so we've made an emphasis there.
"Thirdly, just growth and development and familiarity with the scheme and the concepts, techniques. That's a whole cycle in it -- we got to be better in those areas. Our pad level, our hand placement, our footwork, all the things that matter and make up great technique and allow you to play with great fundamentals. We got to do better in those areas."
Epstein then referenced Pry's frequent use of the word "fun" when discussing coaching and asked about how important that was.
"It means so much," Pry said. "That's why most of us do this. It's the relationships, it's the competition, it's because we love doing it, because it's fun. I've been places where we had a lot of success, but realized that our players hated coming to our building. Hated it -- didn't want to come, didn't want to work, didn't have fun together, didn't have fun with us as a staff.
"That's not the culture we want here, so, we're working very hard. We know the investment and the sacrifices taking place, [but] we got to have some fun to go along with it. And that's not just for the players, that's for the staff. When it stops being fun for me, then I'm gonna have to check it out and look at doing something else."
Listen to more of the segment below.